Minister’s MoU Allegations Are Baseless, We Pay Bills – Manya Krobo MP

The Member of Parliament for the Lower Manya constituency, Ebenezer Okletey Teye Larbi, has disputed the Eastern Regional Minister claim that the brawl that ensued between the people of Krobo Odumase and the Power Distribution Services (PDS), is due to non-payment utility bills.

The Eastern Regional Minister Mr. Eric Kwakye Darfour after paying a visit to the Chief of Krobo Odumase on Thursday following a violent clash on Wednesday over disagreements on electricity bills alleged that the people of the town wanted to enjoy the electricity free.

According to him, the youth of the area claim their forefathers had a deal with authorities of VRA decades back not to pay for power for ceding their land for the construction of the Akosombo Dam.

However, speaking in an interview on Newsnite on Joy FM, the MP for the area, Ebenezer Okletey Teye Larbi described the Minister’s pronouncements on the matter as diversionary.

“The Minister’s pronouncements are diversionary and that is not the truth. Nobody in Lower Manya who says that he or she is not going to pay electricity bill. There is nothing, I have not seen any MoU. I have lived in Odumase Krobo for the past 55 to 56 years. We have been paying electricity bills since 1969 till date and we are still paying electricity bills,” he indicated.

Mr. Teye Larbie insisted the allegation made by the Regional Minister is non-existent.

The Lower Manya lawmaker explained that the people have long been paying their bills until recently when they encountered a challenge with the metering system in the year 2017.

“The issue he is talking about is neither here nor there. The issue now is not about any MoU, it is not about anybody going to attack Krono’s palace, it is about the fact that there has been a problem with the billing system.

“What is wrong is that, in 2017 a section of the community was served with bills that they felt were so high. Bills were given to some of them after six months, others after a year and others after two years. Then they realized that there was a problem with the billing system. In fact the then ECG agreed that there was a problem and that they needed to be given time to resolve the issue,” he indicated.